Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
16th edition of Mumbai International Film Festival to be inaugurated at Nehru Centre Auditorium, Worli tomorrow
Dr. V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award to be presented at MIFF opening ceremony
Award ceremony to be held on 3rd February, 2020
Special screenings to be held at Mumbai University, Deviprasad Goenka Management College and Usha Pravin Gandhi College Campus at Vile Parle
16th MIFF witnesses a record 729 entries in National and 144 in International competition from 24 countries
The oldest international event for non-feature films in South Asia is getting off to a start tomorrow, providing a wonderful opportunity for film-lovers to be entertained and inspired by the finest documentary, short and animation films. Much awaited by cinephiles across India and the world, the 16th MIFF 2020 , will be inaugurated on 28th January, 2020 at 5.00 pm at Nehru Centre Auditorium, Worli. The Chief Guest for the opening ceremony is Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Shri Babul Supriyo, while the Minister for Cultural Affairs & Medical Education, Government of Maharashtra, Shri Amit Deshmukh will be the Guest of Honour.
The coveted Dr. V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award will be declared and the award presented to the winning documentary film-maker at the opening ceremony. In every edition of MIFF, the coveted Dr. V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award, carrying a cash award of Rs. 10 lakh, trophy and a citation, is presented to a filmmaker for seminal contribution to documentary films and its movement in India.
The colourful opening ceremony will also include a cultural performance, organized by India Tourism.MIFF welcomes all with traditional folk dance of Maharashtra - the very graceful & vibrant ‘lavani’- presented by Harshada Jambekar& her team.This will be followed by “Nrutyarang” - a confluence of different Indian classical dance styles, where the various dance styles intermingle, echoing ‘Ek Bharat, Shresth Bharat’. This performance has been choreographed by Odissi exponent Smt. Shubhada Varadkar.
The opening films of the festival will be screened at the opening ceremony. The Russian animation film, “We Can’t Live Without Cosmos”from Konstantin Bronzit Retrospective, Jeremy Comte’s Canadian short fiction film “Fauve” from Oscar films package and Indian short documentary film “Rhyme and Rhythm of Loom” by Gautam Bora will open the 16th edition of MIFF.
The festival will conclude with an award ceremony at Nehru Centre Auditorium, Worli, on 3rd February at 5.00 p.m. Screening and other special events of the festival will be held at Films Division complex at 24, Dr. G. Deshmukh Marg, Mumbai from 29th January to 2nd February, 2020.
What makes MIFF 2020 Special
16th edition of MIFF will be special in many respects. Apart from screening of a wide variety of films in competition sections, departed legends of documentary and animation genres will be remembered with special screenings in homage section, apart from exhibitions on a few of them. Animation lovers will be delighted to savour retrospective packages from three countries and European documentary culture will be revealed through a specially curated package. The delegates of 16th MIFF will get to experience films drawn from a diverse canvas.
MIFF attracts film makers from all over the world. The number of entries received this year is testimony to the credibility of the festival. The 16th edition has received a record 729 entries in National and 144 in International competition from 24 countries, which underlines the remarkable response received by the festival.
MIFF 2020 will facilitate conversations, Q& A sessions and B2B meets between filmmakers and OTT players, to help filmmakers better market their films and to contribute to better understanding of the expectations of OTT players as regards documentaries, short films and animation films which can be hosted on the platforms.
A special award for the best short film on ‘Water Conservation and Climate Change’ carrying One lakh cash and trophy has been instituted in the current edition of the festival.
Highlights
The MIFF 2020 will have a number of attractions such as a special package of films from European Union, Animation package from Russia, Finland and Balkan, Oscar nominated films such as Fauve, Detainment and Night at the garden. Ireland will showcase its best documentaries in the Country Focus section.
Similarly, curated films from North-East India, best of various International Film Festivals and eminent film maker Satyajit Ray’s films such as Sukumar Ray, Rabindranath Tagore, The inner Eye, and iconic film Pikoo will be screened. Student films from FTII / SRFTI / NID / FTIT/ Srishti / Craft School/ Whistlingwood add to the list of films eagerly awaited by delegates of MIFF. Other highlights include Open Forum by IDPA, ‘Film Editing’ workshop by B. Lenin, ‘Drone Cinematography’ Workshop by Indian Institute of Drones, Master classes by acclaimed animator Michael Dudok De Wit , senior film academician Thomas Waugh  and many more.
Added attractions in MIFF 2020 are Sculpture and Photo Exhibition-cum-demonstration to commemorate 150th Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and celebration of Centenary of Satyajit Ray. MIFF will pay homage to MrinalSen, Ram Mohan, Bhimsain Khurana, VG Samant, Vijaya Mule, ManjiraDattaetc by screening their select works and also through specially curated exhibition. This edition will also see a participation of intellectually challenged young adults with their short films, in special screenings. Further, films recommended by the Selection Committee will be screened under MIFF Prism.
A mobile app for MIFF has been launched, where festival delegates can access all information and updates on the festival. “MIFF 2020 is going mobile. All information on the festival can be accessed via the mobile app. The MIFF app will facilitate the delegates of MIFF to network and vote for films too”, stated Director General, Films Division, Ms. Smita Vats Sharma. The MIFF app can be downloaded here: onelink.to/miffindia.
The app can be downloaded also using the QR code, given below.
The Festival Director further informed that Mumbai International Film Festival is a platform not only for Indian film makers but also for filmmakers from across the world. “MIFF not only recognizes best talents in documentary, short fiction and animation films by bestowing Golden and Silver Conches and trophies, but it also gives away handsome cash awards in different competition categories. The most prestigious award in the 16th MIFF, the Best Film of the Festival carries a cash prize of 10 Lakh and Golden Conch while other awards carry cash awards varying from five to one Lakh along with Silver Conch, trophy and certificate. IDPA award carrying Rs.1 lakh and trophy for the Best student film and Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari Award for the Best Debut Director will also be presented on the closing day. Awards in various competition categories will be presented on 3rd February at the closing ceremony”, she added.
As part of MIFF 2020, screenings of specially curated films will be held at Kalina campus of University of Mumbai, Devi prasad Goenka Management College at Malad and Usha Pravin Gandhi College Campus at Vile Parle to encourage and engage students at large to get involved in documentary film making and aesthetics. Legendary animation films will be screened at college campuses to attract younger audiences.
Apart from the mobile app, information on the festival can be accessed also at the festival website www.miff.in. The Festival Directorate can be approached at miffindia[at]gmail[dot]com for queries related to the festival.